IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs United Gateway Card
Both cards cost $0/yr. The IHG One Rewards Credit Card leads on dining; the United Gateway Card on gas stations.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
Chase · No annual fee
- United Gateway Card
Chase · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card$0United Gateway Card$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card125,000 pointsUnited Gateway CardUp to 50,000 miles
- Rewards
- IHG One Rewards Credit CardIHG One RewardsUnited Gateway CardUnited MileagePlus
- Foreign transaction fee
- IHG One Rewards Credit CardNoneUnited Gateway CardNone
- Network
- IHG One Rewards Credit CardMastercard World EliteUnited Gateway CardVisa Signature
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card3xHighestUnited Gateway Card1x
- Gas Stations
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card3xHighestUnited Gateway Card2x
- Grocery Stores
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card3xHighestUnited Gateway Card1x
- Ridesharing
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card2xUnited Gateway Card2x
- Transit
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card2xUnited Gateway Card2x
- Everything else
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card2xHighestUnited Gateway Card1x
Statement creditsAs the issuer states them · — means none on record
- Travel
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card—United Gateway Card
- 25% United inflight
- Dining & delivery
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- DoorDash DashPass
- $10/mo Instacart+
United Gateway Card— - Other credits
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card—United Gateway Card
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases
Perks & access— means none on record
- Hotel status & programs
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Gold Elite after $15,000 in calendar-year purchases
- IHG Silver Elite status
- 4th Reward Night Free on Points Stays
United Gateway Card— - Airline perks
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card—United Gateway Card
- Earn 2 checked bag certificates after $10K annual spend
- Other perks
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- $0 Foreign Transaction Fees
- 30% off reward points
United Gateway Card- No foreign transaction fees
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Trip insurance
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance · up to $5,000
United Gateway Card- Trip cancellation coverage up to $6,000 per trip
- Baggage
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Baggage Delay Insurance · up to $100
- Lost Luggage Reimbursement · up to $3,000
United Gateway Card— - Rental car
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card—United Gateway Card
- Rental car insurance (secondary coverage)
- Purchase & returns
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Purchase Protection · up to $500
United Gateway Card- Purchase protection up to $500 per item for 120 days
- Extended warranty
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card—United Gateway Card
- Extended warranty adds 1 year to manufacturer warranty
Pros & cons
- Pros
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- No annual fee with automatic Silver Elite status
- Fourth night free on reward stays of 4+ nights (from 2027, after $5,000 of annual spend)
- 3x earning on dining, grocery stores and gas stations
- 2x earning on all other purchases (above-average base rate)
- Path to Gold Elite with $15,000 annual spend
United Gateway Card- No annual fee ever
- No foreign transaction fees
- 2x miles on United purchases, gas stations, and local transit/rideshare
- 25% back on United inflight purchases and Club premium drinks
- 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases
- Cons
- IHG One Rewards Credit Card
- Silver Elite status provides minimal benefits
- Lower earning rate at IHG properties (5x vs 10x on Premier)
- Only 5 Elite Night Credits a year
- No annual free night certificate
- $15,000 spend requirement for Gold status is steep
United Gateway Card- No automatic free checked bags (must spend $10K to unlock)
- No priority boarding
- Lower earn rates than premium United cards (2x vs 3x to 5x on United)
- No Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit
- No annual travel credits
Category-by-Category Winner
The IHG One Rewards Credit Card wins in 4 of 4 categories. The United Gateway Card leads in 0.
Dining
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Gas Stations
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 2X
Grocery Stores
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 3X vs 1X
Everyday purchases
IHG One Rewards Credit Card earns 2X on all other spending vs 1X
Year One vs Ongoing Value
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
| Scenario | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | United Gateway Card | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $173 Credits (our usable estimate): $15 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $188 Year one: $938 | Rewards: $158 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $158 Year one: $638 | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | IHG One Rewards Credit Card |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $691 Credits (our usable estimate): $15 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $706 Year one: $1,456 | Rewards: $634 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $634 Year one: $1,114 | IHG One Rewards Credit Card | IHG One Rewards Credit Card |
What You Give Up
Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.
Choosing IHG One Rewards Credit Card means losing:
- -Free checked bags
Which Card Is Right for You?
Get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card if you:
- +Spend $300+/month on restaurants and dining out
- +Do most of your spending at grocery stores
- +Prefer a high flat rate across all spending
The Bottom Line
Both scenarios favor the IHG One Rewards Credit Card on net value (rewards, usable credits, fees, and welcome offer).
Everyday (non-bonus) spend earns 2X on the IHG One Rewards Credit Card vs 1X on the other card.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the IHG One Rewards Credit Card or United Gateway Card?
- The IHG One Rewards Credit Card has a higher base earn rate (2X vs 1X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
- What benefits does the IHG One Rewards Credit Card have that the United Gateway Card doesn't?
- The IHG One Rewards Credit Card focuses on earn rates, while the United Gateway Card offers travel credits.
- Should I get the IHG One Rewards Credit Card or the United Gateway Card?
- Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.

